Updated no 1 - 2018

Make sure to come to this year's most important conference, taking place in Stockholm on 17-18 April. Now, we are publishing parts of the program to pique your interest. Sign up now to make sure to get a seat!

Recruitment processes often use personality tests, but the tests are rarely accessible. WeCompose and Funka have won the Innovation Competition of the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority with a project that aims to change this situation.

Funka has contributed with methodology, testing and accessibility audits in the development of the next-generation online learning platform Claned. The EU-funded research project is now finished, and the platform is ready to be launched.

Before the Web Accessibility Directive enters into force in September, more and more governments, municipalities and state-owned companies are letting Funka review how well their digital interfaces meet the requirements. Västervik municipality explains how Funka's audit helps them in their accessibility process.

There is a lot happening on the accessibility front right now. Funka's Head of Analysis Andreas Cederbom reflects on what is going on, and why we do what we do.

Three questions for Jamie Bolling, newly appointed Director of the Independent Living Institute, ILI

Congratulations on your new position! What is the most important thing ILI faces right now?

Thank you, it's fun working in Sweden again after eight years at the EU level. ILI needs to continue being a strong voice, because Independent Living with self-determination is actually diminishing in Europe and in the Nordic region. With cuts to personal assistance, re-institutionalisation is a risk. In Norway, we see evidence that institutions are expanding. We do not want this to happen in Sweden as well.

What is your point of view regarding the situation of people with disabilities in Sweden in general?

Politicians and social workers have been replaced, and it seems that not very many were involved in closing the institutions in Sweden in 2000. The rhetoric that institutions are cheap has been resurrected. The institutions were closed because of violence and unacceptable violations of human rights. But today, you can be told by administrators that if the support is not enough, you can turn to the institutions. Sweden has received criticism from the UN Committee on how we deal with the UN Convention on Human Rights for People with Disabilities. The conditions for people with disabilities are deteriorating and the disability movement is needed more than ever.

Which of your many other important projects would you like to mention?

The ‘Disabled Refugees Welcome’ project is an integration project where we develop new methods that create better conditions for welcoming and integrating immigrants with different disabilities. We meet people who do not feel well, who want to work but are locked in their accommodations, so it's a challenge. Another project is "Med Lagen som Verktyg", "With the Law as a Tool", where we try to achieve social change by using existing legislation.

For the hearing impaired, getting around their surroundings may be a challenge. Hearing persons can respond quickly to sudden sounds by determining the direction of the sound. With a new design idea, glasses that translate audio signals into visual signals, hearing impaired persons will also be able to respond quickly to sounds.

Google Maps is launching a new initiative to encourage its Local Guides community to update locations around the world with new, detailed information about accessibility. Google is also launching a new YouTube series, Rolling On, to highlight accessibility issues around the world.

Funka is the market leader in accessibility in Sweden. Our services cover website development, audits and user testing, on the web as well as in the built environment. Moreover, we provide training and support on all aspects of inclusive design. We are also active in research projects and standardisation. Everything we recommend has been tested in real life. We have offices in Stockholm, Oslo and Madrid.